1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to sights for archery bows and, more specifically, to bow sights having multiple sighting structures that can be visually aligned to provide more accurate shooting.
2. Description of the Art
Archery bow sights utilizing a plurality of sight pins have been known in the art for many years. Typically, these sights use a bracket or other mounting structure for mounting the sight to a bow. The sight is commonly comprised of a pin plate, a pin guard, and a plurality of sight pins which are secured to the pin plate and extend into a sight window formed by the pin guard. The sight is mounted to a bow in a manner so that when the bow string is drawn, the archer can look through a peep sight provided in the bow string and align the tip of a pin attached to the sight with a target. For sights utilizing a plurality of horizontally extending sight pins having their tips vertically aligned, each individual sight pin is typically provided for aiming the bow at a target at a particular distance from the archer. For example, one pin may be positioned in the sight for aiming the bow at a target 50 yards from the archer while another pin may be positioned for a target that is at 70 yards distance.
One such example of a bow sight is sold by Vital Bow Gear of Pocatello, Id. The bow sight is comprised of a pin plate, a pin guard and a sight window formed therebetween. A plurality of horizontally oriented sight pins are secured to the pin plate by screws, which engage the sight pins and extend through a slot formed in the pin plate. The sight pins extend transversely from the pin plate into the sight window. The bow sight is attached to various mounting brackets for attachment to the riser of a bow.
In use, the archer typically aligns a peep sight positioned on or formed in the bowstring with one of the sight pins. In order to properly sight in the sight to the bow (i.e., properly adjust sight pin to a particular distance from the target), each of the sight pins is individually positioned and adjusted to correspond to a given distance (e.g., 20 yards, 40 yards, 60 yards, etc.) from the bow. The sight pins allow the archer to better position the aim of the arrow to compensate for target distance and trajectory. Thus, the archer estimates his or her distance from a specific target (e.g., 20 yards) and utilizes the particular sight pin for that distance.
Some bow sights provide a single sight pin, as for use in target practice where the distance from the target does not change or in a tree stand scenario where bait is left at a particular distance from the hunter. Such single pin bow sights are incorporated into a pendulum arrangement and are commonly referred to as pendulum sights. Such pendulum sights are often used in conjunction with tree stands and the like where the hunter is positioned above the target and is aiming in a severely downward direction at the ground to animals below the hunter. In such a situation, the distance to target, while not fixed, is usually within a small range thus suited for a single pin sight arrangement.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,418,633 to Christopher A. Rager, a bow sight is provided with multiple vertically aligned. Each pin is provided with a different height, with the shortest pin positioned nearest the archer's eye so as to provide multiple visible sight tips when viewed by the archer when aiming the sight at a target.
Each of the bow sights described in the above-referenced patents typically require a peep sight in the bow string to properly sight a particular sight pin to a target. In addition, such sights do not readily indicate bow torque that will otherwise cause an archer to shoot to the left or right of the target if a transverse torque is applied between the riser and string when shooting. Moreover, multiple pin prior art bow sights require the archer to quickly select the appropriate sight pin to aim at the target that may be difficult for archers with poor eyesight and/or in low light conditions.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide a bow sight that provides a way of sighting to a target while providing easier sight pin identification. It would also be desirable to provide a bow sight that provides an indication of bow torque. It would also be desirable to provide a bow sight that eliminates the need for a peep sight in the bow string.